Two men, including a former assistant health officer, were each fined RM7,000 by the Kuala Kangsar Magistrates’ Court on Friday after pleading guilty to extorting money and impersonating a public servant last month.
Mohamad Ridzuan Dahalan, 34, and Khairul Alamin Mohamed Daud, 35, entered their guilty pleas after the charges were read before Magistrate Azlin Zeti Zainal Abidin.
For the first charge, both men were accused of jointly extorting RM2,000 from 59-year-old Mohamad Pandak with dishonest intent. The offence allegedly took place at a chalet area in Kampung Kenang Baru Jalong Tinggi, Sungai Siput (U), at about 9am on July 30.
The charge was framed under Section 384 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34, which provides for imprisonment of up to 10 years, a fine, whipping, or any two of the punishments upon conviction.
They faced a second charge for allegedly impersonating public servants by claiming to hold the position of assistant health officers with the Health Ministry. The offence, allegedly committed at the same time and place, was charged under Section 170 of the Penal Code, read together with Section 34.
The court was told that the second offence carries a maximum two-year jail term, a fine, or both upon conviction.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Nur Mirza Zulaikha Mohd Fadzly prosecuted the case, while both men were represented by National Legal Aid Foundation (YBGK) lawyer Chan Hong Yan.
In mitigation, the accused asked for the minimum fines, saying they were both married, had three children each and had no previous convictions.
The court subsequently fined each man RM5,000 for the extortion charge, with six months’ imprisonment if they failed to pay. For the impersonation charge, each was fined a further RM2,000 and ordered to serve three months in prison if unable to settle the fine.
The court heard that Ridzuan, whose contract as an assistant health officer had ended on Nov 4, 2025, and Khairul, who was working as a contract employee, went to the complainant’s chalet claiming to be Perak Health Department officials investigating a complaint involving suspected leptospirosis.
After carrying out the purported inspection, the pair allegedly told the complainant they would not take legal action if he paid RM2,000. The complainant handed over the money in cash, saying he did so under pressure.
Further checks found that neither man was a Health Ministry employee and neither had the authority to conduct the inspection or collect any payment on behalf of the ministry.
Both men were later arrested at the Ipoh District Police Headquarters compound by Sungai Siput district police Criminal Investigation Division personnel on Aug 11, 2026.
